Engine-starting mechanism.



D'. M. PICKETT.

ENGINE STARHNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, 1916. 1,237,552., Patented Aug. 21,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR fizz Did MPz'c'eZi WITNESSES: I

w man/var D. M. PICKETT.

ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, I916.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- DAVID M. PICKETT, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ENGINE-STARTING MECHANISM. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

Application filed December 9, 1916. Serial No. 135,928.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID M. PIoKE'r'r,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county ofWayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and usefulEngine-Starting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to engine starters especially adapted for use oninternal combustion engines employed for driving motorvehicles, and itconsists in the novel conleasable driving connection is established withthe engine shaft for imparting rotations thereto to effect the initialinspirations necessary to start the engine under its own power.

A prefer'red'structural embodiment of the essential features of myinvention by which the above object is attained is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a fronteleva'tion of a common type of motor-vehicle, showingmy iniproved starter mounted thereon and associated with the engineinposition for opera tion. i 4

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed plan View of the starting mechanism. inconnection with a portion of the engine shaft. f Fig. 3 is a centralvertical longitudinal section through the starting mechanism and vehicleframe, showing theparts in the nor:

mal position.

- Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing'the parts in the actuatedposition as when having'completed the rotation of the shaft in startingthe engine.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section" parts as on dotted line, 55 ofthrough the Fig. 2. 1

Referring to the parts of the device by the characters of referencemarked on the drawings, 1 indicates the engine shaft, 2 and 3 the siderails of the frame and 4 the dash of a common type of motor vehicle.

The main member-of the starting device consists of a U-shaped sheetmetal channel bar or lever 5 which is positioned to extend at an inclinetransversely of the frame above the outer endof the engine shaft. Theside walls at the lower end of the lever 5 are pivoted by a stud 6 tothe extended end of an angular bracket 7 which is bolted as at 8 to theside rail 2 of the frame and the upper end of this lever is freelyembraced to swing vertically in the arc of a circle aboutjthe axisformed by the stud between a pair of parallel guide plates 9 secured bybolts 10 to extend at corresponding angles from opposite-sides of aspacing block 11 which in turn is bolted as at 12 within the side rail 3of the vehicle frame, as best shown in I Fig. 3.

Mounted to slide longitudinally within the channel formed by the wallsof the lever 5 is a rack-bar 13 having the teeth thereof in slidingengagement with the bottom wall" of said lever, and which is retainedtherein by means of a series of laterally and inwardly projectingtongues 14 which are struck out of the side walls of the lever and bearat intervals upon the marginal edges of the upper face of said bar. Agear wheel 15, which is mounted on the engine shaftl,

is adapted to mesh with the teeth of the rack-bar 18 through an opening16 formed] in the bottom wall of the lever 5, and as'a convenient meansfor, securing this gear it is formed with an enlarged hub for receptionin the open end of a flanged collar 17 which in the type of vehicleillustrated serv-es'as the fan belt pulley, and which is secured to theengine shaft together with thegear by means of the pin 18 with which theusual starting crank engages, the hub of the gear being provided withabore 19 of suflicient 7 diameter to permit the entrance and engagementof the starting crank with the pin in the ordinary way (See Fig. 5). Therack bar is normally held in the lower end of the channel of the leverWithdrawn from engagement with the gear by'means of an expansive coiledspring 20 which is secured at one endto the pivot pin 6 of said lever,and at the opposite end to an eye bolt 21 which is anchored in andextends later-' ally from the upper face of the rack-bar near the upperendthereof. At this point the bar extends over the gear and has theteeth omitted therefrom to provide clearance for the teeth of the gearto permit it to rotate with the shaft when the engine is running underits own power. (See Fig. 3)

As a means for imparting a forward longitudinal movement to the rack-barto cause it to engage and rotate the gear, a cable 22 is secured at oneend to the eye-bolt 21 andextending forwardly of the bar to a point nearthe free end of the lever is suitably secured at 23 to the reduced hubor dru1n24c of a-grooved. pulley 25.v This. pulsley is rotatably mountedon, the stem. 26 of an angular bracket 27 which is secured at its baseto the rail 3- of the frame by the-bolt 12. A second cable 28, which:embraces the pulley at one end and is secured thereto as at 29,.extendsfreely through a, guide plate 30v on. the dash: 4 of the vehicle and isprovided. at the opposite end. with a handle 31 by means. of which-saidcable may be drawn longitudinally to rotate said pulley and drum andcause the cable 22 to wind upon;

thela-tjter and draw the rack-barlongitudi-v nally. against the tensionof the spring 20.. (See lligsr 1 andB). In order to movably support theupper end of thelever between theguide plates 9 which is slidablysupported within the Channelo f the lever upon the tongues 14 andembraces at its closed or looped end the stem of the eye bolt 21 beneatha flange or collar thereon, which. slidably engages the side membersofthe yoke-to retain it against displacement. Thefree ends of the yokewhich extend forwardly of and parallel with the rack bar are turnedoutwardly at right angles to form oppositely extending lateralsten1s,3t. These stems. extend outwardly through, longitudinal slots 35formedrespectively in the side walls of the lever at:

theupper end thereof, and said stems also extend; through angular slots36 formed r e-- speetively in the guide'plates 9 and which extend at anincline from the 'innerends of thelongitudinal slots 35 to a point abovethe outer. ends of said slots so that when the yoke is moved forwardlythe. stems 34: will becaused to-slide inthe'. slots 35 of the-lever and;also to travelupwardly in the. inclined;

slots '36of the guideplates, and in so: doing will. raise the free endofthe lever and carry the rack bar-out of engagement with. the gear,Movement is. imparted to drive the yoke in the forward direction bymeans of a stud or set screw 3? which projects from thefaeev ot the rackbar nearv the lower end thereof and is adapted to engage the closed endofthe yoke at a time sufficiently in ad- Vance. of. the completion ofthe forward travel of said rack-bar to carry said yoke therewith andeffect the raising of the lever in proper time to release the gear atthe limit of the travel of said bar. See Fig. 4) Upon the returnmovement of the rack-bar the stems of the yoke will remainin theuppermost portions of the inclined slots and the lever-will remainraised until the teeth of the bar have passed. over the gear when thestem. of the eye-bolt 21 will engage within the. looped end of the yoke,carrying it therewithandwithdrawing said stem into the lower portions ofsaid slots, thus causing thelever to, swing downwardly and restore therack bar to the normal position in. registering alinement with the teethof the gear. The. spring which returns the rack bar also serves toreversely rotate the drum and pulley and restore thecables to theirnormal. positions thereon with each operation of the device, and theseoperationsv for reciprocating the rack-bar may be repeated as many timesas may be required in effecting the necessary rotations ofv the shaft;to start the engine. I

It is obvious that changes may be made in the structural details withoutdeparting from the essential features of the invention, which ispresented herewith as including all such changes and modifications asproperly comev within the socpe and meaning of the following claims, I I

I claim:

1. In an engine starter, the combination with: an engine shaft having a:gear thereon, of a lever pivoted to swing toward. and fromsaid gear, aninclined guide for the swinging end of said lever, a rack-bar slidablycarried by saidlever and adapted toengage said gear, means to yieldablyrestrain. said.I rack-bar normally retraeted,.manually oper-. able meansfor imparting movement to: said; rack-bar, and means slidably engagingsaidv V lever and said inclined. guide and engageable by said rack-barfor impartingmovement to swingsaid lever withthemovement of saidbar. v p

2.. In. an engine. starter, the combination; with. an engine shaft,having. a. gear thereon, of a lever pivoted to swing toward andf-romsaid, gear, an inclined guide. freelyembrac- 7 ing; theswinging end ofsaid, lever, arrackbarslidably carried; by said-lever andadapted toengage said gear, a, yieldable member restraining said rack barnormally.retracted, a shi-ftable member engageable by said; rack bar slidablyengaged with said lever, and with said I inclined guide and acting-thereon to-raisesaid. lever through movement of said; rack-bar, andmanually operable means for impartingmovement to said rack-bar.

3 111, an. engine starter the combination;

- with an engine shaft having a gear thereon,

of a lever pivoted to swing toward and from said gear, a guide for theswinging end of the lever having an inclined bearing surface, a rack-barslidably carried by said lever and adapted to engage said gear, means toyieldably restrain said rack-bar normally retracted, manually operablemeans for imparting movement to said rack-bar, and a slidable membersupporting said lever in engagement with said inclined bearing surfaceand engageable with said rack-bar for receiving the movement thereof toswing said lever.

- 4 In an engine starter, the combination with an engine shaft having agear thereon, of a lever pivoted at one end to swing toward and fromsaid gear, a guide member freely embracing the swinging end of saidlever and having an inclined way therein, a rack-bar slidably carried bysaid lever and adapted to engage said gear through movement in onedirection, means to yieldably restrain said rack-bar normally retracted,a shiftable member engageable by said rack bar slidably engaged withsaid lever and with the inclined way of said guide and acting thereon toraise and lower said lever with the respective movement of said rackbarin opposite directions, and manually operable means for impartingmovement to said rack-bar.

5. In an engine starter, the combination with an engine shaft having agear thereon,

of a lever pivoted to swing toward and from 7 said gear, a fixed guidefor the swinging end of said lever having inclined ways therein, arack-bar slidably carried by said lever and adapted to engage said gear,an elastic member restraining said rack-bar normally retracted, ashiftable member slidably engaged with said lever and with said inclinedways, means on said rack-bar engageable with said shiftable member forimparting movement thereto with the movement of said rack-bar, andmanually operable means for actuating said rack-bar.

6. In an engine starter, the combination with an engine shaft having agear thereon, of a lever pivoted to swing toward and from said gear andhaving a longitudinal channel therein, a fixed guide embracing the freeend of said lever and having inclined slots in the sides thereof, arack-bar slidably carried in the channel of said lever and havinglateral projections at opposite ends thereof, said rack-bar beingadapted to engage said gear with movement in one direction, a yokeslidably supported in the channel of said lever and engageable at itslooped end alternately by said lateral projections, the free ends ofsaid yoke being slidably engaged with said inclined slots, manuallyoperable means for imparting movement to said rack-bar to rotate saidgear and actuate said yoke to raise said lever, and a spring forretracting said rack-bar and yoke to restore said lever to the normalposition.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

DAVID M. PICKETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

